03/03/2009 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

HJR 20-REPEAL FEDERAL DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:47:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HERRON announced  that the next order  of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE  JOINT RESOLUTION  NO.  20,  Urging the  United  States                                                               
Congress to end daylight saving time.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
8:47:44 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   ANNA  FAIRCLOUGH,   Alaska  State   Legislature,                                                               
speaking as the sponsor of HJR  20, explained that the reason for                                                               
HJR 20  is to raise  the issue of ending  DST in Congress  and to                                                               
gather support from other states.   The resolution highlights the                                                               
concerns with  DST, which were  discussed earlier in  the meeting                                                               
when HB 19 was discussed.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:48:22 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HERRON asked if other states have concerns with DST.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FAIRCLOUGH   informed  the  committee   that  the                                                               
National  Conference  of  State Legislatures  (NCSL)  lists  5-10                                                               
states that  have taken this  issue up  over the last  few years.                                                               
In  fact,   Florida  and  California  have   most  recently  been                                                               
reviewing  [the  repeal of]  DST.    She  specified that  she  is                                                               
[through HJR 20] asking Congress  to speak with the US Department                                                               
of  Transportation to  end  DST.   She  related  her belief  that                                                               
enough support could be rallied  nationally to take up the issue.                                                               
She acknowledged  that DST may  or may  not save energy  and that                                                               
current  technology   could  better  measure  that.     She  then                                                               
highlighted  that doctors  are engaging  in the  DST conversation                                                               
because of the disruption of  circadian rhythms and its impact on                                                               
one's body.  Those in northern  latitudes are further out of sync                                                               
than elsewhere in the world, she pointed out.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:50:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS  moved to  report HJR  20 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA objected.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:50:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA  emphasized the need to  proceed with care,                                                               
particularly due to the current energy situation.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:52:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HARRIS  pointed  out  that  HJR  20  has  another                                                               
committee  of referral,  the House  Labor  and Commerce  Standing                                                               
Committee, and  suggested that  the resolution  be allowed  to be                                                               
heard in that committee.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:53:09 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA  reminded the  members that  this committee                                                               
is  charged  with reviewing  the  impact  of legislation  on  the                                                               
citizens of the state.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:54:33 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MUNOZ, referring to the  question of energy, pointed out                                                               
that in the fall when an hour  is lost, houses are lit longer and                                                               
more energy is used.   She surmised that the aforementioned would                                                               
have a negative impact on energy costs.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FAIRCLOUGH related  her  agreement with  Co-Chair                                                               
Munoz.   She then  related that the  communities facing  the most                                                               
concern  with energy  consumption  are the  communities that  are                                                               
asking for the repeal more than any other region or area.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:55:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HERRON  encouraged Representative  Cissna to  remove her                                                               
objection to HJR 20 and work with the sponsor on HB 19.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:56:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA withdrew her objection.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being  no further objection,  HJR 20 was reported  from the                                                               
House Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.